You know the idea of one hand clapping? And the sound (or lack of) when a tree falls in the forest? Credibility that no one knows about is as good as no credibility at all. But Credibility that your target marketing discovers is worth a fortune. Hence the idea and value of Credibility Marketing.
One of the ways Credibility Marketing works for you is by using credible sources to make your points – thus it’s not just your opinion. That sounds reasonable, but is it merely tall on reasonable and short on – well, short on credibility? That’s a question I rarely get asked, but the people who ask it are my favorites because they demand a higher truth.
On an exhausting Monday in December, I delivered (not one, but) two intense presentations on Credibility Marketing during an internet seminar. The audience consisted of people who were either trainers or students of Neuro-Linguistic Programming. NLP enthusiasts have a Dracula-like thirst for knowledge and truth. They asked tons of questions and did not hesitate to interrupt when they perceived a possible weakness in my logic. It was truly the toughest audience I’ve ever had. And in my younger days I was a stand-up comedian!
To substantiate the process of Credibility Marketing, I told them about:
- Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner’s research in leadership credibility. They surveyed thousands of business leaders to define “credibility.” See their book Credibility.
- Bill Brooks’ research with more than 6,000 decision makers to determine who they buy from, and why. See his book You’re Working Too Hard to Make the Sale.
- R.F. Bornstein’s study published in Psychological Bulletin on what causes people to like someone.
Borrowing credibility from sources already perceived as credible by your target market – it’s a powerful way to build an association of credibility. How is that possible? The answer is very simple, and it’s explained by Hume’s Law of Contiguity: (if A appears with B, you will associate them).
In addition to the principles of traditional psychology, Credibility Marketing combines several disciplines to create an irresistible presentation of you and your credibility. Those disciplines include: NLP, non-verbal communication, academic research, journalism, persuasion, public relations, eye-tracking psychology and direct mail.
For more information on Credibility Marketing, contact me personally.
